BCA x TFL
Black History Tube Map
In partnership with Transport for London, BCA has launched a Black History Tube map. The map features over 270 people, venues, and organisations to acknowledge and celebrate the rich and varied contribution Black people have made to London and the UK, from Pre-Tudor times to the present day.
The reimagined map replaces station names across the iconic Tube map with notable black people from history, with the associated Tube lines renamed to link them together by common themes – Firsts and Trailblazers; Georgians; Sports; Arts; LGBT+; Physicians; Performers; Literary World, and Community Organisers. By doing so, the map aims to highlight how Black people have played an intrinsic role in all parts of British life for thousands of years.
List of All Black Icons on the Black History Tube Map
A
AA O'Browne 1895 – 1976
Bounds Green
First West African Jazz musician to release an album in Poland
AG Minns 1858 - 1930
Croxley
Medical doctor and the first Black mayor in Britain
Ade Bashorun 1916 - 2002
Alperton
Nigerian Percussionist
Africanus Horton 1835 - 1883
Harrow-on-the-Hill
Writer and esteemed medical surgeon, at the time he was called the 'father of of African political thought'
Albert May 1877 - 1942
Acton Town
Black Circus Performer
Alfred Fagon 1937 - 1986
Blackhorse Road
Playwright, poet, and actor
Althea McNish 1924 - 2020
Chancery Lane
Textile designer and first Caribbean woman to achieve international prominence in this field
Ambrose Campbell 1919 – 2006
Arnos Grove
Nigerian musician who formed Britain's first black band
Amryl Johnson 1944 - 2001
Highbury & Islington
Writer whose works featured the diasporic nature of her life and the hostility she faced in Britain
Amy A Garvey 1897 – 1969
Archway
Pan-African Activist, founder of the Negro World newspaper and wife of Marcus Garvey
Amy Barbour-James 1906 - 1988
Brent Cross
Civil rights activist and civil servant
Amy Height 1866 – 1913
Arsenal
Actor, comedian, and music hall entertainer
Andrea Levy 1956 - 2019
Vauxhall
Author and social commentator. Her fourth novel, Small Island won critical acclaim and literary awards
Andrew Salkey 1928 - 1995
Pimlico
Novelist, poet, and journalist
Andy Hamilton 1918 - 2012
Boston Manor
Jazz saxophonist and composer
Annie Brewster 1858 - 1902
Preston Road
Ophthalmic Nurse
Arthur Wharton 1865 - 1930
Charing Cross
Widely considered to be the first Black professional football player in the world and the first to play in the English Football League
Asquith Xavier 1920 - 1980
Balham
British Railway worker who ended the recruitment colour bar at his workplace
Aubrey Williams 1926 - 1990
Newbury Park
Artist
Avril Coleridge-Taylor 1903 - 1998
Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3
Pianist, conductor, and composer. First female conductor of HMS Royal Marines and daughter of acclaimed composer and conductor, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Ayuba Suleiman Diallo 1701 - 1773
Bayswater
Best known for his memoirs as an enslaved Muslim Nobleman
B
BLK Arts Group 1979
Oxford Circus
Black arts collective formed in Wolverhampton
Barbara Burford 1944 - 2010
Bermondsey
Medical researcher, civil servant, and writer, with an award in her name to recognise LGBT invididuals who have excelled in their field
Baron Baker 1925 - 1996
Belsize Park
Campaigner for racial justice and known as the 'man who discovered Brixton' and with others established a black community in the area
Belle Davis 1874 - 1938
Northolt
Choreographer, singer, and dancer
Ben Enwonwu 1914 - 1994
White City
Painter and sculptor, celebrated as 'Africa's Greatest Artist'
Ben Simmons Dates Unknown
Mile End
Trailblazer
Bernie Grant Centre 2007 - present
Seven Sisters
Cultural centre named after politician, MP, and racial justice activist, Bernie Grant, who died in 2000
Berto Pasuka 1911 - 1963
Cockfosters
Dancer and choreographer who founded the 1st black-led dance company in modern times
Betty Campbell 1934 - 2017
Becontree
Activist and Wales' first Black headteacher
Betty Peters c1920 - Unknown
South Woodford
Posed for sculptor Jacob Epstein who depicted his Black models as full human beings
Bill Richmond 1763 - 1829
Aldgate
Boxer in the Georgian era
Billy Waters 1778 - 1823
Covent Garden
19th-century busker who performed on the streets of London
Black Art An'done 1981
Lancaster Gate
First major exhibition by a group of Black artists in Wolverhampton. Crediting for spawning a new wave of Black art from the children of the Windrush generation
Black Cultural Archives 1981 - present
Brixton
The only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving, and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain
Black Trans Alliance 2020 - present
St. John's Wood
Black Queer and trans-led organisation, supporting Black trans and non-binary people in London
Black-Art Gallery 1980s
Ruislip Gardens
A seminal gallery that brought diversity to the UK art world
BlackOut UK Unknown – present
Southwark
Not-for-profit social enterprise, run and owned by a volunteer collective of Black gay men
Blair Blenman 1932 - 1999
Queen's Park
Weightlifter and Olympian
Bob Travers 1836 - Unknown
Kensal Green
Lightweight boxer and one of the best of his time. He was also known as the 'Black Wonder'
Brenda Agard 1961 - 2012
Hanger Lane
Photographer, poet, and storyteller whose work centred on the resilience of the Black woman
Briton Hammon Dates Unknown
Mansion House
His autobiography published in 1760 and considered to be the first enslaved narrative for a Black American, recounts his imprisonment, daring escapes, and travel to the UK before returning to the US
Buchi Emecheta 1944 - 2017
Walthamstow Central
Novelist and author of more than 20 books
C
CLR James 1901 - 1989
Euston
Historian, journalist, and Marxist whose novel was the first to be published by a Black West Indian in 1936
Cab Kaye 1921 - 2000
Hatton Cross
Jazz singer and pianist who combined jazz techniques with his Ghanian heritage. His refusal to play when a patron was refused entry to one of his shows due to their race led to regular acceptance of Black people at public UK venues
Carlos Trower 1845 - 1889
Barking
Tight rope performer known as the Prince of the Air
Carmel Stuart Dates Unknown
Willesden Green
LGBT+
Carmen Beckford 1930 - 2016
Chiswick Park
Nurse, race equality campaigner, and instrumental in setting up St Paul's Carnival in Bristol
Carmen England 1909 - 1991
Bromley-by-Bow
Successful businesswoman and one of the founders of Notting Hill Carnival
Cassie Walmer 1888 - 1980
Piccadilly Circus
Singer and dancer
Catalina of Motril 1501 - 1531
Earl's Court
Enslaved Moorish royal servant of the house of Katherine of Aragon
Cec Thompson 1926 - 2011
Lambeth North
Professional rugby league player who was active between the 1940s-1960s. In 1951, he became the second ever Black man to play for Great Britain
Cecil Belfield Clarke 1894 - 1970
West Hampstead
Medical doctor and prominent gay Black leader in the League of Coloured Peoples
Cecile Nobrega 1919 - 2013
St. Paul's
Teacher, poet, playwright, composer and community activist
Cesar Picton 1755 - 1836
Blackfriars
Freed man who became a successful and wealthy coal merchant and business owner
Charlie Williams 1927 - 2006
Holloway Road
One of the first black football players who later became Britain's first well-known Black stand-up comedians
Chester Harriott 1933 - 2013
Hounslow East
Pianist and entertainer and one half of variety act Harriot and Evans who performed for society figures and British royalty
Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy 1952 - 2012
Bethnal Green
Visual artist and one of two Nigerian-born artists to paint official portraits Queen Elizabeth II
Christian F Cole 1852 - 1885
Dagenham East
Sierra Leonese lawyer and the first African barrister to practice in English courts
Clare Deniz 1911 - 2002
Hounslow West
Jazz pianist who played with many jazz and swing bands in London's evolving jazz scene from WWII until the 1980s
Claude McKay 1889 - 1948
Stanmore
Writer and poet
Claudia Jones 1915 - 1964
Camden Town
Journalist and Communist political activist. Founder of Britain's first major black newspaper, the West Indian Gazette and a co-founder of Notting Hill Carnival
Clive Sullivan 1943 – 1985
East Putney
Welsh rugby league player, Welsh international player, and first-ever Black captain for Great Britain in any sport
Connie Mark 1923 - 2007
Clapham Common
Medical secretary during WWII and co-founder of the Mary Seacole Memorial Association
Count Suckle 1931 - 2014
Gunnersbury
Sound system operator and club owner who was influential in the development of ska and reggae music, and Caribbean culture in the UK
Creation of Liberation 1987
Buckhurst Hill
Open exhibition with a large group of Black artists
Cy Grant 1919 - 2020
Oakwood
Actor, musician, writer & poet
Cyril Blake 1900 - 1951
Manor House
Jazz trumpeter who moved to England from Trinidad and worked as a musician in the 1920s and 1930s
Cyrille Regis 1958 - 2018
Willesden Junction
International footballer who played 619 league games across his 19-year career
D
D L Clemetson 1893 - 1918
Whitechapel
Born into a wealthy family in Jamaica and was one of the first Black people to serve as a British Army officer during WWI
DJ Swing 1967 – 2006
Eastcote
He was the face of DJ collective Boogie Bunch and won a MOBO award for best club DJ
Danny Williams 1942 - 2005
North Ealing
Singer
Darcus Howe 1943 - 2017
Moorgate
Broadcaster, writer, and racial justice campaigner. One of the Mangrove 9 who was acquitted after charges were brought against him and his friends for inciting violent protests against the police in 1970
David Pitt 1913 - 1994
Ruislip
Politician, general practitioner, and political activist
Davidson Nicol 1924 - 1994
North Harrow
Academic, physician, diplomat, poet, and writer
Derek B 1969 – 2009
Ealing Common
UK hip-hop star and was the first UK rapper to appear on BBC's Top of the Pops
Diane Charlemagne 1964 - 2015
Hyde Park Corner
Jazz, soul, funk, and electronic singer and songwriter who had 2 UK Top 10 hits and worked with Goldie and Moby
Dick Turpin 1920 - 1990
South Kenton
Middleweight boxer who won one of the first British Boxing titles
Dido Elizabeth Belle 1761 - 1804
South Kensington
Heiress and daughter of British career naval officer, Sir John Lindsay
Dixie Brown 1900 - 1957
Harlesden
Professional boxer who couldn't contest any of the British championships because of the colour bar
Donald Locke 1930 - 2010
Hainault
Guyanese artist who created drawings, paintings, and sculptures in a variety of media
Donald Rodney 1961 - 1998
Liverpool Street
Artist and leading figure in Britain's BLK Arts Groups in the 1980s and became recognised as one of the most innovative and versatile artists of his generation
Dorothea A Hendry 1917 - 2002
Fulham Broadway
Worked in an aircraft factory during WWII and is one of the first women of colour to allow historians to record her experiences of Exeter during wartime
Dorothy Kuya 1932 - 2013
Chalk Farm
Human rights activist was involved in establishing Liverpool's International Slavery Museum and served as chair of London housing association Ujima which became the largest Black-led social enterprise in Europe
Duke Vin 1928 - 2012
Hillingdon
First sound system operator and selector in Britain. He played a part in popularising ska and was a co-founder of the Notting Hill Carnival
E
Earl Cameron 1917 - 2020
Northfields
Actor
Edmund Jenkins 1894 - 1926
Knightsbridge
American composer during the Harlem Renaissance who studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and composed the award-winning African War Dance
Edmundo Ros 1910 - 2011
Park Royal
Musician, vocalist, arranger, and bandleader
Edna Thomas 1886 - 1974
West Ham
Actor and a key figure during the Harlem Renaissance. Her open relationship with a female English aristocrat transcended both racial and sexual boundaries of the time
Edric Connor 1913 - 1968
Russell Square
Calypso singer, folklorist and actor
Elisabeth Welch 1904 - 2003
Rayners Lane
Singer, actress, and entertainer
Errol Brown 1943 - 2015
Southgate
Award-winning singer, songwriter, and lead for funk band Hot Chocolate
Esther Bruce 1912 - 1994
Hornchurch
A seamstress whose autobiography became the first to document the life of a Black working-class woman in Britain
Esther and Rebecca Dates Unknown
Tottenham Court Road
Two sisters who posed for 20th-century sculptor, Jacob Epstein
Eva Lowe Dates Unknown
Northwick Park
Registered as a nurse in 1935
Evelyn Dove 1902 - 1987
Sudbury Town
Singer and actress who was popular during WWII
Everton Weekes 1925 - 2020
Edgware Road (Bakerloo)
Cricketer from Barbados who played in the West Indies team and the Lancashire League
Exist Loudly 2020 – present
Queensbury
Organisation for Queer Black youth
F
Fanny Coker 1767 - 1820
Barbican
Freed woman who was based in Bristol
Fanny Eaton 1835 - 1924
Wanstead
Artist's model and domestic worker
FannyAnn Eddy 1974 – 2004
Canons Park
LGBT activist and founder of Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association
Felix Dexter 1961 – 2013
Heathrow Terminal 5
Actor, comedian, and writer. After working on the BBC TV show The Real McCoy, Dexter went on to write several pilots and appeared on numerous TV comedy sketch shows
Felix Hercules 1888 - 1930s
Clapham North
Journalist, Pan-Africanist, and one of the founders of the Society for Peoples of African Origin and the African Progress Union
Francis Barber 1735 - 1801
Westminster
Assistant to Dr. Samuel Johnson, writer of the first dictionary
Frank Critchlow 1932 - 2010
Kentish Town
Community activist, civil rights campaigner who owned the Mangrove Restaurant in Notting Hill. He was also one of the Mangrove 9, who was charged and then acquitted for inciting violent protests against repeated police raids on his premises.
Frank Dove 1897 - 1957
Kenton
Boxer and Olympian who represented Great Britain in the Antwerp Summer Olympics of 1920. He was also given a Military Medal for Bravery for his participation in WWI from the British Army
Frank Rollock 1937 – 2020
Osterley
Steelpan player and bandleader
G
Garland Wilson 1909 - 1954
South Ealing
Jazz pianist
Geoff Love 1917 - 1991
Woodford
Prolific arranger and composer of easy listening and pop versions of film themes
George Africanus c1763 - 1834
Edgware Road (Circle)
Won his freedom from enslavement and then became Nottingham's first Black entrepreneur
George Berry Dates Unknown
Goodge Street
London's first black pub owner and licensee. The Coach and Horse pub in Brixton was burnt down in a racist fire attack in 1965
George Bridgetower 1778 - 1860
Ladbroke Grove
A virtuoso violinist who impressed Beethoven and a member of the British Royal family who oversaw his music education
George Edward Doney c1758 - 1809
Great Portland Street
Enslaved Gambian man who arrived in England as a servant for the Earl of Essex and served the family for 44 years
George Padmore 1901 - 1959
Colliers Wood
Journalist, activist, and principal organiser of the Manchester Pan-African Conference in 1945 and was an adviser to Kwame Nkrumah
George Powe 1926 - 2013
Hampstead
Labour unionist, activist, and politician who forced Raleigh Industries in Nottingham to create greater equality for black people in the workplace
George Rose c1791 - 1873
Victoria
Soldier who served in the British Army for 30 years
George Watteau c1860 - Unknown
Parsons Green
Personal servant to David Livingstone
Gertrude Paul 1934 - 1992
Kensington (Olympia)
First headteacher in Leeds and was one of the co-founders of the Leeds West Indian Carnival
H
H Sylvester-Williams 1869 - 1911
Totteridge & Whetstone
Lawyer, councillor, and writer who was involved in the Pan African Movement
Harold Jackman 1901 - 1961
Canary Wharf
British born teacher and patron of the arts who was known for his involvement in the Harlem Renaissance and gay community
Harold Moody 1882 - 1947
Chorleywood
Physician and racial justice campaigner and established the League of Coloured People in 1931
Harry Baird 1931 – 2005
Turnpike Lane
Actor with more than 36 film appearances throughout his career
Harry Edward 1898 - 1973
Regent's Park
Runner and Olympian
Harry Quashi Dates Unknown
Redbridge
Actor who also featured In the Black Bloomsbury set, a homoerotic study
Helene Yelin c1900 - Unknown
West Ruislip
Artist's model for Jacob Epstein and William Patrick Roberts
Henri Jetto c1569 - 1627
Plaistow
Yeoman and first Black person to vote in Britain
Henry Thomas c1910 - Unknown
Loughton
Companion and muse for artist Glyn Philpot RA
I
I A Audain Dates Unknown
Holborn
Performer
Iggy Quail 1926 - 2000
Uxbridge
Jazz and reggae pianist
Ignatius Sancho c1729 – 1780
Sloane Square
Abolitionist and writer
Ipswich Man c1258 - 1300
Dagenham Heathway
Forensic investigation of a skeleton from an archaeological dig at a friary in Ipswich determined he originated from Africa
Ira Aldridge 1807 - 1867
South Harrow
Actor and playwright
Isabelle Lucas 1927 – 1997
Hounslow Central
Actor who joined the first British sitcom with an all-Black cast in the 1970s, The Fosters
Ivor Cummings 1913 - 1992
Kilburn
Openly gay senior civil servant who devoted much of his life to serving Black citizens who arrived in the UK from Caribbean and African colonies. He was dubbed the gay father of the Windrush generation as he took charge to launch them into British life
Ivory Bangle Lady c4th century
West Brompton
Skeletal remains of a woman of North African origin were excavated in York in 1901
J
J Risien Russell 1863 - 1939
Northwood Hills
Physician, neurologist, and professor of medicine
JJ Brown 1882 - 1953
Pinner
Medical doctor
Jack Leslie c1901 - 1988
Maida Vale
Football player whose partnership with Sammy Black has gone down in history as one of the very best - in 327 games they scored 319 goals between them
Jack London 1905 – 1966
Wembley Central
Athlete and Olympian
Jacques Francis c1527 - Unknown
Putney Bridge
Salvage diver for the Mary Rose
James Berry 1924 - 2017
Green Park
Jamaican poet who was at the forefront of championing West Indian and British writing
James Peters 1879 - 1954
Marylebone
The first Black man to play rugby union for England and the only Black player until 1988
Jane Harry 1755 - 1784
Tooting Bec
Abolitionist, artist, and Quaker
Janet Adegoke 1942 - 1987
Nine Elms
First Black woman to serve as Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham
Jerry Williams c1926 - 2017
West Finchley
Trade unionist and community worker, who later became the first Black Mayor of Camden
Jessica Huntley 1927 - 2013
Tottenham Hale
Publisher, and a women's and community activist and founded Bogle-L'Ouverture Publications in 1969
Jim Williams Unknown – 2002
Tower Hill
Community activist and Lord Mayor of Bristol
Jimmie Daniels 1908 - 1984
Canning Town
Openly gay cabaret performer, actor, and nightclub owner was involved in the Harlem Renaissance
Joanna Vassa 1795 - 1857
Farringdon
Only surviving child of former enslaved man and anti-slavery campaigner, Olaudah Equiano
Joanne Campbell 1964 - 2002
Leicester Square
British actress and drama therapist. One of the founding members of the first British Black female theatre companies, Bibi Crew
Jocelyn Barrow 1929 - 2020
Woodside Park
Educator, community activist, and politician, who later became the first Black woman to hold the position of governor of the BBC. She also became the first Black ‘Dame’ for her services to broadcasting
Joe Casely-Hayford 1956 - 2019
Shepherd's Bush
Fashion designer
Joe Clough 1887 - 1977
Elm Park
London Transport's first Black motorbus driver
Joe Green 1993 - present
Leyton
Artist who exhibited Black Women in History which featured women who were overlooked during Black History Month in 2019
Joe Hunte 1917 - 1983
Oval
Community activist and racial justice campaigner
Joe Lashley c1782 – Unknown
Harrow & Wealdstone
First recorded professional Black boxer in Britain
John Alcindor 1873 – 1924
Chalfont & Latimer
Physician, activist, and a president of the African Progress Union
John Archer 1863 - 1932
Battersea Power Station
First Black Mayor of London and founding president of the African Progress Union
John Blanke c1481 - 1511
Richmond
Trumpeter in King Henry VII's court
John Brown c1810 - 1876
Watford
Known for his memoir which recounted his enslavement and subsequent escape. He later settled in Britain as a herbalist
John Charles 1944 - 2002
Kilburn Park
First black player who represented England at the Under-18 matches and first black player for West Ham in 1963
John Deman Dates Unknown
Temple
Sailor who served with Admiral Nelson in the Caribbean
John Edmonstone c1820 - 1890
Upminster Bridge
Taught taxidermy to students at the University of Edinburgh including Charles Darwin
John Kent 1805 - 1886
Upney
First recorded Black police officer in Britain
John La Rose 1927 - 2006
Finsbury Park
Political and cultural activist who founded New Beacon Books - the first specialist Caribbean publishing company in Britain
John Perkins 1750 - 1812
Monument
First mixed heritage commissioned officer of the Royal Navy and was regarded as one of the most successful captains of the Georgian Navy
John Ystumllyn Unknown - 1786
Stamford Brook
Gardener and first well-recorded Black person in North Wale
Jon Daniel 1966 - 2017
Chigwell
Award-winning Creative Director who was responsible for branding Black History Month
Jonathan Strong Dates Unknown
Latimer Road
In a bid for his freedom from enslavement, he was instrumental in a 1772 court case that confimed slavery was not legal in England
Joseph Emidy 1775 - 1835
Royal Oak
Violinist and composer
Joseph Johnson Dates Unknown
Marble Arch
A beggar on the streets of London in the early 1800s whose distinctive look included a replica of the ship HMS Nelson on his hat
Joseph Olubo 1953 – 1990
Perivale
Artist and book illustrator
Joseph St Clair 1876 - 1935
Wembley Park
Dentist and businessman
Josephine Morcashani 1870 - 1929
Heathrow Terminal 4
Singer and entertainer who performed across Europe
Josie Woods 1912 - 2008
West Acton
Pioneering Black dancer and choreographer
Julius Soubise 1754 - 1798
Wood Lane
Raised by the Duchess of Queensberry as her own, he lived a life of luxury into adulthood
Justin Fashunu 1961 - 1998
Canada Water
First professional footballer to be openly gay. Inducted into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame
K
Katherine Auker c1684 - Unknown
King's Cross St Pancras
Took her enslaver to court in 1690 for unfair employment restrictions and won
Kathleen Wrasama Dates Unknown
Burnt Oak
Community organiser and founding member of the Stepney Coloured People's Association that helped Black people with housing and education.
Khadija Saye 1992 - 2017
Gants Hill
Her work as a photographer explored her Gambian-British identity. The London Transport Museum launched a photography fellowship in her name after her death in the Grenfell fire
L
Laureen Sylvestre 1911 - 1983
Ruislip Manor
Upholsterer and jewellery maker
Laurel Aitken 1927 - 2005
Aldgate East
Singer and one of the pioneers of Jamaican Ska Music
Laurie Cunningham 1956 - 1989
Elephant & Castle
Professional footballer who was the first British man to play for Real Madrid and the first Black player to be called up for the England International team
Len Garrison 1943 - 2003
Warren Street
Educationalist, community activist, and historian. Founded the Black Cultural Archives in 1980 to collect, preserve and celebrate the histories of Caribbean and African people in Britain
Len Woodley 1927 - 2020
Upminster
Barrister and the first person of Afro-Caribbean heritage to become a Queen's Counsel
Leon Riley 1927 - 2017
Ickenham
Musician, compere, and DJ. His big break came when he compered for The Beatles’ first performance in Hull in 1962
Leslie Hutchinson 1900 - 1969
Swiss Cottage
Singer, musician, and cabaret star in the 1920s and 1930s. High profile relationships with women and men include Ivor Novello and Cole Porter
Lewis Bruce Dates Unknown
Wimbledon
Trailblazer
Lilian Bader 1918 - 2015
Kew Gardens
One of the first black women who joined the British Armed Forces. She became a Leading Aircraft Woman and was then promoted to the rank of Corporal
Lionel Morrison 1935 - 2016
Hendon Central
Journalist and the first Black person to hold the office of the President of the National Union of Journalist
Louis Black Dates Unknown
Greenford
Artist
Lulu Coote 1890 - 1964
Chesham
Afro-Dutch nurse who worked in England during WWI
M
Mabel Dinah Dates Unknown
West Harrow
20th century Nurse based in London
Madeleine Bechet Dates Unknown
Roding Valley
Artist’s model for 1921 sculpture, Girl for Senegal by Jacob Epstein
Marcus Garvey 1887 - 1940
High Barnet
Political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. He called for unity between Africans and the diaspora and campaigned for an end to European colonial rule across Africa
Marlene Bogle 1955 – 2020
Angel
Community Activist, and founder of Brixton Black Women's Center and London's Black Lesbian Centre
Mary Prince c1788 - 1833
West Kensington
Abolitionist, autobiographer and was the first Black woman to present an anti-slavery petition to Parliament
Mary Seacole 1805 - 1881
Northwood
Nurse and businesswoman
Massa Kendrick 1798 - 1844
Baker Street
19th century Boxer
Maud Sulter 1960 - 2008
Fairlop
Contemporary fine artist, photographer, writer, educator, and curator. Known for her collaborations with other Black feminist scholars and activists
Mavis Best Dates Unknown
Edgware
Spearheaded the Scrap SUS campaign and lobbied the government for 3 years until the laws were changed
Michael Akintaro 1914 - 2000
London Bridge
Activist who stood up to racists and helped to lay the foundations for the postwar Black community in London
Mollie Hunte 1932 - 2015
Amersham
Educational Psychologist advocating for fairer treatment of black children in schools
Momodou Samba Dates Unknown
Upton Park
Signalman in London
N
Nana Bonsu 1930 - 2003
Kennington
Born Beresford Evans, he was the chairman for the Manchester branch of the Pan African Congress Movement and regional secretary for the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination, which encouraged the government to bring in the 1976 Race Relations Act
Norman Beaton 1934 - 1994
Wood Green
Stage and screen actor, best known for his role in Channel 4's sitcom Desmonds
O
OBAALA 1980s
Debden
Launched the pioneering Black-Art Gallery in North London led by former Black Panther, artist, and poet Shakka Dedi
Olaudah Equiano c1745 - 1797
St. James's Park
Writer and abolitionist
Olive Morris 1952 - 1979
Finchley Central
Radical activist who was heavily involved in the feminist, Black Nationalist, and squatters rights campaigns of the 1970s. She was also a founding member of Brixton Black Women's group
Oliver Tambo 1917 - 1993
Colindale
President of the African National Congress and lived in London for 30 years in exile
Omoniyi Bandele 1884 - 1913
East Finchley
Nationalist and Pan-Africanist writer best known for his book A Defence for the Ethiopian Movement (1908) which urged for political reforms in the African colonies
Oscar Abrams 1937 - 1996
Theydon Bois
Theatre designer, community activist, and community organiser
Oswald Murray c1940 - present
North Acton
Painter
Ottobah Cugoano c1757 - 1791
Shepherd's Bush Market
Abolitionist, political activist, and natural rights philosopher
P
Pablo Fanque 1810 - 1871
Embankment
First recorded Black circus owner in Britain and is best known for being mentioned in The Beatle's song Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Patrick Nelson 1916 - 1963
Leytonstone
Artist model and Prisoner of War during WWII. His biography explores Queer Black London in the 1930s and experiences of the interwar London art world
Patti Flynn 1937 - 2020
Caledonian Road
Jazz singer and social activist. Founder and patron of Black History Wales
Paulette Wilson 1956 - 2020
Tufnell Park
Windrush Scandal Campaigner who fought her own deportation to Jamaica
Pauline Henriques c1914 - 1998
Stepney Green
Actor and community activist
Pearl Alcock 1934 - 2006
Stratford
Artist and owner of a popular gay-friendly cafe in Brixton
Pearl Prescod 1920 - 1966
Grange Hill
Singer and actress. One of the earliest Caribbeans to appear on British television and the first black woman to appear at the National Theatre
Philip Quaque 1714 - 1816
Hammersmith
The first African to be ordained as a minister by the Church of England
Princess Ademola 1916 - Not known
Rickmansworth
Nigerian Princess and nurse
Princess Tshai 1919 - 1942
Finchley Road
Daughter of Emperor Haile Selassie who trained as a nurse in London and became Ethiopia's first national nurse when she returned to her homeland
R
R B A Wellesley-Cole 1907 - 1995
Ealing Broadway
First West African to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in England
Ras Makonnen 1852 - 1906
Stockwell
Military leader, governor, and father of Emperor Haile Selassie
Reginald Foresythe 1907 - 1958
North Greenwich
Jazz pianist, arranger, composer, and bandleader
Richard Baker 1770 - Unknown
Cannon Street
Black Greenwich Pensioner who served aboard HMS Leviathan during the Battle of Trafalgar
Richie Riley Unknown - 1997
Waterloo
Co-founder of Les Ballet Negres, Britain's first Black dance company
Robert Adams 1906 - 1965
Mornington Crescent
Actor, wrestler, barrister, and founding member of the League of Coloured Peoples
Robert Broadhurst 1859 - 1948
Clapham South
Pan-Africanist, journalist, and Vice President of the United African League
Robert Walker Dates Unknown
Wimbledon Park
Footballer in Scotland during the 1870s
Robert Wedderburn 1762 - c1835/6
Mill Hill East
Activist, abolitionist, and preacher whose tract The Horrors of Slavery was used for the anti-slavery cause
Roddy Kentish 1931 - 2019
Golders Green
One of the Mangrove 9 who was arrested following a protest against police raids at the Mangrove club in Notting Hill in 1970
Ronald Moody 1900 - 1984
East Acton
Sculptor specialising in wood carvings and became a well-known figure in the London art scene during the 1950s and 60s
Rotimi Fani-Kayode 1955 - 1989
Barkingside
Photographer and founding member of Autograph: Association of Black Photographers
Roy A K Heath 1926 - 2008
Queensway
Schoolteacher and writer
Roy Francis 1919 - 1989
Paddington
Welsh Rugby Union and League player and professional coach
Rudi Patterson 1933 - 2013
Bank
Actor and potter who is best known for his depictions of Caribbean life in his paintings
S
Sam King 1926 - 2016
Morden
Passenger on Empire Windrush who later became a campaigner for West Indians living in the UK. He also became the first Black Mayor of Southwark
Sam U Morris Dates Unknown
Old Street
Campaigner
Sara Baartman c1789 - 1815
Goldhawk Road
South African Khoikhoi woman who, due to European objectification of her buttocks, was exhibited as a freak show attraction in London
Sarah Parker Remond 1826 - 1894
Tooting Broadway
Lecturer, activist, and abolitionist
Scipio Africanus c1702 - 1720
Ravenscourt Park
Enslaved by the 7th Earl of Suffolk, his grave is inscribed with his poem 'I who am a slave' which has a grade II listing
Shim Sham Club 1930s
Dollis Hill
Soho-based members club influenced by the Harlem Renaissance and welcomed Black, Queer and Jewish Londoners
Snakehips Johnson 1914 - 1941
North Wembley
Swing bandleader and dancer
Stuart Hall 1932 - 2014
East Ham
Sociologist, cultural theorist, and political activist who was also responsible for the first-ever cultural studies course in the UK
Syd Burke 1938 - 2010
Bow Road
Broadcaster and photographer. One of the first Black journalists in the UK
T
TES Scholes c1858 - 1940
Moor Park
Baptist missionary, medical doctor and political commentator. He published a critique of the Colonial Secretary's benefits which were only available to white British subjects
Tex Ajetunmobi 1921 - 1994
Snaresbrook
Photographer
The Africa Centre 1964 - present
Borough
Cultural centre initially founded as a friendly meeting place for Africans living in London
The Yaa Centre 1986 - present
Notting Hill Gate
Afro-Caribbean arts and community centre named after Yaa Asantewaa, politician, Queen, and human rights activist
Thin Black Line(s) 1985
Bond Street
Multimedia exhibition featuring 11 Black women artists at the Institute for Contemporary Arts, curated by Lubaina Himid CBE
Thomas Williams Dates Unknown
Holland Park
Artist
Tom Molineaux 1784 - 1818
Gloucester Road
Bare-knuckle boxer who found fame with his two fights against the Champion of England at the time
U
UK Black Pride 2005 – present
Kingsbury
Europe's largest Black Gay Pride event celebrating people from the African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and Caribbean heritage from the LGBTQ+ community
Ukawsaw Gronniosaw c1705 - 1775
High Street Kensington
His 1772 enslaved narrative autobiography made him the first published African man in Britain
Una Marson 1905 - 1965
Highgate
Feminist, activist and writer who became the first Black woman to be employed by the BBC during WWII
Uzo Egonu 1931 – 1996
Epping
Artist who settled in Britain after the war and whose works combined the visual language of Western and African art
V
Val McCalla 1943 - 2002
Turnham Green
Launched The Voice weekly newspaper in 1982 focussing on Black interests in Britain
Vincent Reid 1935 - 2001
South Wimbledon
Pioneering educator of African and Caribbean history
W
Walter Tull 1888 - 1918
Stonebridge Park
Professional footballer and British Army officer
William Brown 1789 - Unknown
Barons Court
First known Black woman in the Royal Navy
William Clarke 1895 - 1981
Southfields
First Black airman to fly for Britain during WWI
William Cuffay 1788 - 1870
Westbourne Park
Leading figure of the Chartist movement, the first mass popular political movement in Britain
William Daggers 1795 - 1886
Euston Square
Travelled from Jamaica to England to study law and settled in Liverpool as a solicitor
Winifred Atwell 1914 - 1983
Sudbury Hill
Pianist who enjoyed popularity playing boogie-woogie and ragtime hits
Y
Yemi Agibade 1929 - 2013
South Ruislip
Playwright, actor, and director
Z
Zami 1985 Dates Unknown
Neasden
LGBT+